Rolls-Royce accused of offshoring engineering jobs via...

Rolls-Royce accused of offshoring engineering jobs via the backdoor

20 March 2015

Britain’s largest union, Unite accused Rolls-Royce of offshoring high-tech engineering jobs via the backdoor today (Friday 20 March) as it emerged that the company plans to open a new design facility in India.

The announcement of the new site in Bangalore with 500 new jobs comes amid a global restructuring exercise by Rolls-Royce with the loss of 2,600 posts.

The exercise has already led to the proposed closure of Derby’s precision manufacturing facility and the turbine machining facility in Ansty, Warwickshire, leading to warnings from Unite that vital skills would be lost to the UK economy.

Commenting, Unite regional officer Tony Tinley said: “We warned when Rolls-Royce announced plans to cut jobs last year that it could result in the offshoring of high-tech engineering jobs.

“It now appears that this is the case and that the company’s global restructuring exercise is being used as cover to offshore jobs via the back door.

“Today’s announcement will be good news for workers in India, but it will be viewed as a kick in the teeth by UK workers and apprentices who face an increasingly uncertain future.

“The UK workforce is world class and has proved time again to be at the cutting edge of engineering. They have shown their loyalty in building up Rolls-Royce and it’s time the company repaid that loyalty with concrete assurances about long term engineering in the UK.”

ENDS

For further information please contact Unite head of media and campaigns Alex Flynn on 020 3371 2066 or 07967 665869.

Notes to editors

Unite is Britain and Ireland’s largest trade union with over 1.4 million members working across all sectors of the economy. The general secretary is Len McCluskey.